Happy Dogs Have Role In 'Pack'

When Humane Society representatives visit local classrooms and ask students if their families have pets, the majority of students indicate they have at least one. Many families have more than one pet.

Students tell "bad dog" stories and the solution to these misbehaving canines is often, "We had to get rid of the dog." Bad cat stories are less frequent. Sometimes dogs and cats are abandoned if the pet wasn't spayed or neutered and there are unwanted litters of puppies and kittens.

With luck, another family with more patience and compassion might take them in, but more likely they end up at the Humane Society shelter or are conveniently lost. Many of these families will get another pet, only to repeat the scenario.

Jennifer Schroeder, local dog trainer and president of Belroi Agility Club, says she sees this often. "Dogs are given up every day, because families simply don't know what to do. Many problems are easily solved. People just don't understand how to use positive approaches with the dog. By the time many owners are ready to do something, their frustration level is high and they're ready to quit."

A committed, resourceful family will make an effort to find a solution to behavior problems that allows the pet to remain in the family. By choosing a dog that matches its lifestyle and personality, understanding dogs, their nature and motivation, families become more skilled at achieving the behavior they want from the pet.

It is important to understand that dogs are pack animals. They are social in nature, look to the pack as family and follow the "leader of the pack," or alpha dog. Because they desire to be part of the pack, they are motivated to behave in ways that result in pack approval. Their survival and acceptance depend on being able to follow the leader of the pack and find their place in the pack structure.

The number one rule that most dog behaviorists give is that all human members must rank in the family hierarchy above the family dog. Even toddlers and young children must rank higher in the pecking order or chain of command.

Nancy Baer and Steve Duno in their book, "Leader of the Pack," promote this concept, even on the cover of their book: "Give your dog a new leash on life -- when you learn how to be the boss." They say that when a dog feels leadership coming from you, it will eventually:

* Be relieved to be free of the responsibility of controlling everything.

* Feel more secure and develop more confidence.

* Worry less about strangers and be more likely to interact happily with family and friends.

* Be more obedient and show little or no aggression.

These behaviors won't magically happen on their own. As with humans, without responsible parents, our pets cannot meet our expectations without some restraint, guidance, patience and time.

Parents of young children have certain goals for them and should take the lead in setting up a positive environment for them to achieve success. This means setting rules and expectations, monitoring behaviors, correcting mistakes with timely and appropriate consequences, and giving praise for desired behaviors. Most parents like to see children follow their instructions without being asked more than once, and avoid off-limits areas without constant reminders.

Pet owners would like the same. Setting expectations and training for them is the answer.

The "no free lunch" theory supports this. Make a dog earn his keep by expecting certain behaviors. It's part of the way the pack family operates, so your pooch will be happy to please you and will benefit from, for example, being expected to "sit" before eating, going out the door, getting on a leash, being petted and getting treats.

It's just an easy way to reinforce that you are in control, the alpha member of the family. Experts say management along with training helps your dog achieve the behavior you want.

Pat Miller, a dog trainer in Tennessee and author of "The Power of Positive Dog Training," says, "Management is the key to resolving the vast majority of behavior problems people face with their dogs, and even more important, it is key to preventing those behaviors from ever occurring in the first place."

Don't set the dog up to fail. Avoid:

* Leaving the trash out or the counter filled with irresistible goodies while he's unsupervised.

* Not using a crate or taking a puppy outside at regular intervals to encourage eliminating in the right place.

* Leaving leather shoes out for a new, anxious dog to resist on his own.

* Expecting the dog to resist temptation to chase a moving bike or car by not safely confining him indoors or inside a fence.

* Not giving a barking dog an outlet like companionship, exercise or play. Barking may be a clue that he's bored, lonely, over-stimulated or convinced its his job is to protect the territory. (from Whole Dog Journal)

Again, rethink how you can manage or eliminate some problem behaviors by taking away the opportunity for trouble while at the same time focusing on training to get the behavior you want. This should certainly be remembered in situations where the pet's safety is at risk.

Part 3 will discuss trends in training the family dog and recognizing concepts and principles that get results.